Analysis: Sharks bolster Cup run odds, add Nyquist

Early on Monday morning, while most people were asleep in their beds, comfortably under their covers, the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings completed a trade.

Detroit sent Gustav Nyquist to the Sharks in exchange for a 2019 2nd round pick and a conditional 2020 3rd round pick.

San Jose will sent the Red Wings the lower of the Sharks or Florida Panthers’ 2019 2nd round picks and the conditional 2020 3rd round pick can become a 2020 2nd round pick if the Sharks reach the 2019 Stanley Cup Final or if Nyquist re-signs this offseason.

The Red Wings retained 30% of Nyquist’s salary ($1.425 million retained) in the transaction.

Nyquist, 28, has 16 goals and 33 assists (49 points) with the Red Wings this season in 62 games played and 125-170–295 totals in 481 career NHL games with Detroit.

He was originally drafted by the Red Wings in the 4th round (121st overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft and represented Sweden at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

San Jose’s offense has been hot as of late (averaging 3.73 goals per fame in the month of February), but not nearly as hot as their defenders have been all season with Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson anchoring the blue line.

Nyquist solidifies the Sharks’ top-nine forwards and will likely suit up alongside Joe Thornton and Kevin Labanc, while the Red Wings have bolstered their potential prospect pool with 14 selections in the first three rounds of the next three year’s of drafts (2019, 2020 and 2021).

Detroit currently has one 1st round pick, three 2nd round picks and one 3rd round pick in the 2019 Draft, as well as one 1st round pick, two 2nd round picks and two 3rd round picks in the 2020 Draft.